UN Youth Pocketbook on International Meeting Guides
Youth Pocketbook on International Meetings Guide gives concise information about the structure and process of United Nations (UN) meetings, looks at the different avenues available to youth for participating, and offers practical information for surviving an IM. Available in hardcopy or in PDF Language(s) English, French, Spanish

Get Involved

If you are interested in getting involved in the International Year of Sanitation, here are some ideas to get you started:

Step 1. Learn More About the Issue
Please make use of the International Year of Sanitation Advocacy Kit for learning more about the issues and researching about the state of sanitation. Below you find a pdf-file of each part of the Advocacy Kit.

Also visit our searchable Sanitation Library database to find reports and resources about specific topics in sanitation from among the partner organisations of the International Year of Sanitation.

.Step 2. Find out what is happening in your country
International Year of Sanitation Strategies by Country (coming soon)

Step 3. Raise AwarenessThroughout 2008 there are several international days celebrated:

World Water Day on 22 March with a focus on sanitaiton in 2008

World Health Day on 7 April

World Environment Day on 5 June

International Literacy Day on 8 September

World Habitat Day on 6 October, and

International Day for Disaster Reduction on 10 October

Think of planning events around the theme of sanitation!.
Encourage your school system and local government to help develop and promote a hygiene and sanitation ethic among children and adults.
Create stickers, posters, songs, plays, radio messages, tv spots, anything that can be used by your community to educate people about hygiene and sanitation and to give them ideas about what they can do.
Take pictures of your community doing concrete action to promote sanitation, write 150 words describing what the picture represents and send it to us to have a chance to share your stories and experiences with others around the world.
Write an article for your local newspaper or newsletter or encourage your newspaper to cover sanitation issues.

Step 4. Learn what you can do everyday
At school
Teachers- Work to add sanitation into the curriculum, in particular over the upcoming year. Be creative! Organize art exhibits, poetry readings with a focus on water. Organize photography contests or poster contests in your area for the International Year of Sanitation. Be sure to keep us updated on your activities! For ideas visit
explore the Teaching Packs of WaterAid .
Students -Write your papers and do your presentations on sanitation issues.

In your community
If you are working within a community group, organization, network etc., organize some events relating to sanitation during the year, public awareness campaigns, speaking series, letter writing campaigns etc.
Look at past promises made by your government in terms of sanitation in your country and in other countries and see if these promises were kept. If not, follow up on this and start campaigns to remind your government of these promises, and to encourage and mobilize your own community to get started on ensuring that these agreements are kept. Sanitation is everyone's responsibility.

Step 5. Send us your projects and ideas
Do you have more ideas? Click here to send us an email. We are always looking for new material for the website to share with others including ideas, pictures, websites, projects etc. Be creative.

For further information, please contact the UN focal point for IYS:

Ms. Kenza Kaouakib-Robinson
Division for Sustainable Development
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Email: robinson1@un.org